Fragile Horns
by Oddity Empress
Summary: First one shot so bare with it. A little view into a take on if Cliff took in a human he adopted as his sister.


**This will go between flashbacks and the TFP series. (And a little bit of RB) It is a one shot. Trying something a little different.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any one BUT my OC. They belong to Hasbro and them alone….kay? Ownership of only the OC got it.**

" **Bee talking"**

 **Signing**

 ** _flashbacks (Also acts like line breaks)_**

* * *

Cliff stood watching the warship get close each passing second as other mechs landed just where he had been standing. Dread filled him and he found himself asking Arcee about backup. Worry then came through his spark and he frowned at what he might have to do if backup didn't come. Sending back, to the one he had come to call sister, calm feelings and reassuring her that it was nothing he couldn't handle. All that was returned was unbelieving, but she left it alone for him to focus.

He gave a sigh of regret. "Sorry, Sky, looks like I may not get to see you for your birthday when you get back." With that he closed the bond with her tightly in one of the rare times he did. Confusion hit him hard with worry and fear pressing at his spark making it beat painfully at what he was doing. "Sorry, Lil sis. Don't be mad."

 ** _Legs moved in rhythm with her arms. Full body of protective gear and helm with visor made little noise as she rolled down the street towards her target. "Get ready Big bro!" she said into the mic that was installed into the helm. "Comin' up behind you." Cliff's engine sounded and pulled up besides her, then past her._**

 ** _Right before his bummer got any further she grabbed a hold and held on tightly. Having no need to tell him she was ready he gunned it as she bent down. "Alright! Ready Lil sis?"_**

 **" _Letting go…NOW!" Cliffjumper swerved to the side but Sky had let go and shot towards the ramp. Arms straight behind her she hit the ramp. Sky watched the ground grow in distance from her as she flew threw the air watching Cliff drive towards her. Soon she uncurled from being half bent to legs and arms full out enjoying the feel of the wind. Gears and metal were heard and the feeling of being caught told her that Cliffjumper had done it._**

 ** _Breathing heavy she sat back on her knees looking up at Cliff as she took off her helm. "Did you see that, Big Bro!? I was flying! I felt so good, feeling the wind all around me!"_**

 ** _Cliffjumper chuckled. "I bet if you were a cybratronian you'd be a seeker for sure. You enjoy the air too much to be a grounder."_**

 **" _Maybe we could get Jetfire to fly me around if he comes back. That would be so cool! I could try sky diving doing that." she stated thinking it over. After a bit she put her helm back on. "Alright, put me down, Big bro. I wanna go rollerblade around a bit. Has any on the team called ya?"_**

 ** _He set her down on the ground then transformed to roll besides her, moving lazily with her. "It seems things have been rather quiet on the con activity. There's been no sighting of them for a few months now."_**

 **" _Do you think they're planning something? Something big?" Cliff's alt mode gave an up and down motion for a shrug. "Who knows what those con's are thinking half the time." Sky gave a small laugh as she laid a hand on his side mirror. "Do you think I'll fit in with high school students?"_**

 ** _Cliff gave a soft sigh. "Lil sis, don't worry about what others are going to think of you. So what if you skipped a grade, you're smart Lil sis."_**

 **" _Im only smart because you force me to do my homework and study till im brain dead." she snorted earning a chuckle for him. "Ahh, Sky, I don't force you all the time. Anyway, your education is important to us. We just want you to have a good future."_**

 **" _A future were I don't even know what I want to be." both fell into a silence for a bit with only the wheel of both making any sounds. Until Cliff slowed to a stop and opened his driver door. "Hop in, Lil sis, lets go home." with a nod, Sky slipped her helm off and slid into the offered seat. "We'll work on what you want to be. We've got a few years till you graduate."_**

Sky stood with her hand to her chest, eyes wide in fear. Anytime Cliff shut the bond like that was always a bad sign. It was rare that he did that to her. She understood that at times when he was in battle that he would try to shield some of the pain that he would feel but not shut it closed. For him to close it off was a bad sign.

"Hey, Sky, you okay?" she turned to see Blades looking down at her in worry. Her senses came back to her. "No…something's not right. I-I need to contact Prime." without letting him reply she dashed off to the lower level of the firehouse.

For that past two months, she has been stationed at Griffin Rock to help the rescue bots integrate on Earth with the help of their partners. That was one of the reasons for her being here. The other was her brother ordering her to relax and go around to tour the island during her time here since her graduation in December. At first, she fought him the entire time, even went to call him to argue with him about it when she arrived at the island. In the first week, she found he had been right to push this of her.

"Griffin firehouse to Autobot base, come in." Sky spoke after pressing a button. She stood, waiting, for anything to come back. "Autobot base, come in." another few minutes came without reply. "Autobot base do you read me? Come in Autobot base. Ratchet answer the fragging call!"

Again nothing came back. Taking a step back, her fear mounting. Then it came, pain ripped through her heart as she screamed from the loss of her bond with Cliff. "CLIFFJUMPER!" her legs buckled under her as tears flowed down her face as her hands clawed at her chest. From what she had been told sibling bonds were painful but those with that bond could continue to function okay, even for the rather abrupt loss of connection.

"Sky!? What's wrong?" she heard the voice of Chief coming to help her back up but her strength wasn't there at the moment forcing him to hold her up with difficultly until Graham came to help him. "Sky what happened?!" he demanded softly.

Her eyes found his. "H-he-he's gone." she had said in in a whisper but he was close to her to be able to hear it. "I-I have to get back to base. I have to find out what happened." with that thought in her mind she surprised them by pushing herself from there grips and dashing to her room.

The two looked at each other at her odd behavior and followed the young girl. "Sky, who's gone?" Graham asked her and they found her packing the few bags she had brought with her. At his question she stopped just before picking up her folded cloths. "Cliffjumper. I don't feel his side of the bond anymore."

"Your adopted brother?"

"Yes." her hand wiped at the tears that still fell as she tried to collect all of what she brought and the few things she had collected to bring back for her family. "Not to cut this short, but I…I need to see what happened."

Chief Burns nodded. "I'll let everyone know what's going on so you can say your good byes." Sky gave him a small sad smile at his thoughtfulness. "Thank you."

"Here, I'll help you pack. The faster you get done the earlier you can catch the ferry." Graham stated as his father left to inform the team. She gave him a nod and the two went to work that would have taken her longer.

Soon shoving that last bag into the trunk of her black mustang she shut the lid and turned to the team that had come to say good bye. The four bots at first didn't know what to think of her but over the time she was here, she had helped them in their rescues in her own set of ways. "Ill try to visit when I can."

"Just go find your brother. You can always call on us, remember that." Chief Burns stated as his family took turns giving hugs.

"Alright, im off." Sky stated slipping into her car and taking off for the ferry. During her wait time on the boat she sat in her car as she reached out to Cliff but knew it was useless because the bond was there no more.

 ** _She stood just starring up at the tall mech with large round eyes. It was late into the night, a week since she had come into there care. More like Cliffjumper wouldn't take a no to keeping her around as a younger sister. Optimus had been working at the controls hoping to get a signal of energon when he heard tiny foot steps stopping. He turned to find her on the higher level taking her up closer to his view._**

 **" _You should be asleep little one." he stated softly._**

 ** _She looked down at her feet that were bare and gave a shrug. "Cliff wont tell me anything about what happened." she replied looking back up at the leader. "Ive asked Ratchet, but he just gives me this weird look before sighing and turning away. So, ive come to you since you're the leader."_**

 ** _He studied her already knowing what she wanted to know. "You want to know of your family."_**

 **" _Please, tell me. Did they make it out of the house?" she pleaded at him. "My little sister, mom, dad. Please I have to know."_**

 ** _Optimus gave a small sigh looking sadly down at the young girl. "The Decepticons were there before us and were tearing into the house before we could help. No one but you were found and taken to safety that night, Diana."_**

 ** _Silence was made dominate._**

 **" _Were their bodies found?" she whispered._**

 **" _Yes, Agent Fowler stated in his report that all of the remaining members that lived there were found."_**

 **" _I_ _s he going to have a funeral for them?"_**

 **" _He will be coming tomorrow to ask you some questions. That may also be his reason for coming to speak with you." she nodded and both turned to see Cliffjumper making his way towards them. "Hey, little sparkling, how you doing. You should be asleep."_**

 **" _Optimus." the taller mech looked down to the youngling. "Can I stay here? With Cliff?"_**

 **" _I am sorry young one. That is not for me to decide." he replied to which she gave a sad nod of understanding. "But if I could…"_**

 **" _I wouldn't mind you being my little sister." Cliff stated gently picking her up and laying his servo flat for her to sit. She gave him a small smile. "I wouldn't mind being called Sky. Diana seems…to far away anymore."_**

Arcee looked down at the lone horn piece that belonged to their friend. There was one other they were waiting for to call in to them. None could believe what had happened this day. "Does Sky know?" Bulkhead asked as the group went back the ground bridge.

"It is a possibility." Ratchet stated. "It is not clear of what would happen between a human and cybratronian forming any type of bonds. Very little has been studied about these bonds with Guardian bonds being the most common between our two species. It is possible she might have not felt the death of Cliffjumper."

" **We would still need to inform her of his death. Out of all of us, those two were really close.** Bumblebee replied his tones and whirs sounding sad.

"I will call the rescue team and ask." Optimus said already heading for the controls. Soon a video feed of Chief Burns appeared. "Chief Burns."

"Optimus. I can guess you're calling for Sky?" the older man asked.

"Yes, is she available?"

Burns gave a sigh as he glance to the side before looking back at the leader. "Sorry to say, but she left for the ferry a few minutes ago. She was really upset about something happening to her brother Cliffjumper. Saying that she felt that he was gone and needed to return home. I would say comm. her but she left it here."

Optimus sighed. "Thank you for the update Chief Burns."

"Let us know if we can help." He stated to which the tall bot nodded before ending the call.

Ratchet glanced to Bulkhead. "Does that answer your question?"

Bumblebee's door wings fell as he gave a sad whir. **"She's not going to be able to take to hearing that he's gone."**

Arcee sighed as she took the steps to leave the base and heard the others following her. They stood listening to Optimus in his speech to them and any Autobot that would hear in the sent message. Taking steps to the tall bot she held the horn out to Optimus. Grimly he took it as she began to leave.

"Make sure Sky gets that." she said as Prime said her name. "If Cliff's gone, standing around here sulking wont bring him back. So unless anybody minds, think I'll get back to protecting human kind." with the sounds of shifting gears and metal she took off.

 **" _CLIFFJUMPER!" Bumblebee and Arcee glanced to the hallway that the shout had come through._**

 **"Does he never learn?" _Bee asked and Arcee only smiled._ "Yeah, I don't think so either."**

 ** _Soon Cliffjumper ran passed the two bots and began to transform. A wrench came flying by hitting Cliff right on his trunk lid making the mech give a shout of surprise at the mini-copy of Ratchets much larger set. Even with the thrown mini-wrench he still continue to burn rubber to the exit of the silo. Just as he made the bend a ten year old girl came running after him waving another wrench._**

 **" _Cliff! Get your aft back here you scraphead!" she shouted still running after him even though she knew she wasn't going to make a dent in catching up to him._**

 ** _Both the femme and mech that had witnessed tried not to laugh at the sight of Sky. Her wet hair was a carrot orange with what looked like blue glitter all over her, making her sparkle blue with each movement. Sky turned to look at them having heard them snicker and glared as she tapped the wrench up and down on her palm. Both bots backed up knowing one wrong move and they would have a wrench thrown at them as well._**

 **" _Ratchet. When Cliffjumper gets back, he may need your help repairing some things." she as the medic came into the room. He looked down at her with a raise brow. "And whys that?" she only grinned sweetly. "Oh, nothing, He's been complaining of some pain."_**

 ** _Arcee snorted and whispered to Bumblebee. "Right, with her being the pain in his af-OW!" her hand shot up hold her right shoulder joint. Glancing down, she found that the wrench Sky had was now laying near her pede. "I heard that, Arcee." Bumblebee gave some beeps and whir as he signed to Sky._ Good aim, Sky.**

 **" _Thanks Bee, im getting better and better each month." she sent to retrieve both wrenches. "Well, im off to wait for a time of revenge. Have fun bots."_**

 **" _Cliff's in for it, isn't he?" Arcee asked following her._**

 **" _Oh yeah, when he gets back he's going to be peppered in dents that Ratchet will be fuming about and hopefully get hit with his much larger wrench adding to his dents." she replied with a grin up to the femme. "Wanna help hold him down?" Arcee only chuckled at that. "You wont need my help, youngling."_**

Sky drove as fast as she could towards Jasper, Nevada. Her mind was in chaos with no way to rein them in to even think to stop and use a phone to call the base for a ground bridge to get there sooner. She barely slept, only long enough to get a quick nap before she was back on the road. Several days had past and it was nearly midnight when the familiar roads of Jasper came into view.

The road to the base was memorized so long ago that it was automatic to her as she entered the base. Coming to a stop she got out to see Optimus as the only mech still up. She looked up to him as she took slowly unsure steps towards him. His optics told her, they told her everything and she fell to her knees with her arms wrapped around her. They were the same sad, pained filled optics that he held when she had asked about her family.

"So…its true…he's…he's not coming back…" she whispered stunned shock coloring her voice as her eyes looked to the ground yet not seeing it. "He's gone…"

Optimus kneeled in front of her shaking form as he took a hold of the silver horn. "Sky." at first she didn't move at her name, the name he had given to her, but after a minute she looked up to see Prime holding his servo in a fist with the palm down that held something in it. Getting the idea, she slowly held out her hands and within those few seconds, something felt cold and weighed heavy in her hands.

Brown eyes couldn't look away from the silver horn. The cold feel of it was so foreign to her skin when it was usually so warm to the touch. The silver horn even seemed to have become dull than the shiny glint it held that Cliff was proud of. Suddenly a teardrop hit the horn before sliding off and onto the floor. Without her realizing it, she was screaming as she clinching the horn to her chest not caring that the sharp point was digging into her right shoulder. She couldn't believe he was gone.

Optimus Prime stood back up slowly gazing down at the young girl rocked back and forth as she screamed her pain out. They had lost a comrade and partner, a friend. She had lost a brother, her best friend, and confidant. Pede falls were heard and he turned to see the team medic stopping just short of the opening from the hallway.

 ** _Cliff sat on the edge of the tall rock that housed the team. Tied between his horn was a hammock with Sky laying soundlessly in its cocoon. The orange, purples, pinks, and reds of the sky blended as the sun was in the process of setting._**

 **" _And they think they can out race me! Ha, those cops never learn that Cliffjumper never quits. You mess with the bull…" he started. "..And you get the horns." Sky finished grinning as she peeked over the rim of the hammock. "Optimus wont like the latest report of your misdemeanors you seem to rack up."_**

 **" _Eh, speeding tickets, bad spots to park….what can I say, im trying to help them out. Keep them on their toes." he replied earning a laugh from her. "What have you been up to since I was on patrol for a few weeks?"_**

 **" _I had to do this creative english writing on the genre of science fiction. Well, I kinda used you as my writing model." she stated._**

 **" _Oh really? So what did you get?"_**

 **" _A B+."_**

 **" _Ah, really? Im only a B+? Slag, thought I would have gotten you an A at least. I mean…I am rather great."_**

 ** _Sky rolled her eyes grinning. "That's what you think Big Bro. My teacher did tell me that I have really good imagination and in my head I was just thinking 'If only she knew, if only she knew they were real and towered over us like ants'. Nearly burst out laugh those thoughts of my teacher freaking out if she had seen you bots." Sky replied as she got out of her cocoon and started to take it off of his horns. "Oh! Thanks to your teachings, I nailed that Derrick real good."_**

 ** _Cliff gave a chuckle at that as he raise a hand up for her to step on. "Did you break his nose? Primus knows that aft deceives it for all he's done to you."_**

 **" _I didn't break his nose, but I did give him a black eye and a broken finger. He wont be using that middle finger anytime soon." she stated grinning proudly at standing up to her bully for several years._**

 ** _He looked at her with pride in his optics as well knowing she could feel it with the bond. "Well done, Lil sis. Well done."_**

She stood over looking the cliff in the same spot they always sat when in down time. Her tears had dried, leaving none to even flow over. The dark skies that were speckled with stars did nothing for her, they just made her feel even more empty. For the longest time of her life, she's always had that feel of the bond. The constant feel of emotions from Cliff was so normal to her day to day life, till that day.

She felt so empty, so lost, so unsure. He had always been there for her, ever since the beginning. She remember very little of what happened to her biological family as the years had gone by. Just knew that she at one time had them and then Cliff was there to scoop her up in his servo and hold her near him as he kept her calm with the sound of his voice.

Holding out the horn the tip of it red from it stabbing into her chest a little. Suddenly anger bubbled up and her grip of on the horn tightened as she glared down at it.

"You left me! You fragger! You PROMISED! You slagging piece of scrapheap, you promised!" Sky screamed as loud as her voice would let her, creaking at times. "You promised to be there when I got back from Griffin Rock! We were to go out and celebrate my birthday fragger! YOU LEFT ME ALONE!" she continued to throw insults into the wind until even she ran out just like her tears had done to her. "I knew I shouldn't have had you promise that. I knew better than that." she whispered setting into a crouch. "I miss you Cliff…I don't know what to do anymore…im missing you so much Cliffjumper."

"Hey, cheer up, Lil sis, you cant be missing me that badly." Sky glanced to her left but didn't see anything and gave a huff. Now her mind was messing with her making it seem like Cliff was here talking to her. Her tired body screamed at her for sleep and soon she felt herself lay back and let the darkness take her.

 ** _She ran. Fear pounding though her tiny body. She only went out to see the new babies, that was it. She tripped when the ground gave a hard shake of something falling down. In front of her was something out nightmares for the little girl. Her home was one fire with part of it buckled in or what seemed like it had been torn apart. Then out of no where came two titans with there clashes making her scream in fear at how close they were to her._**

 ** _Both bright red and blue eyes looked down at her. One held a gleam in its eyes the other fear for her. "RUN!" the blue eyed one shouted as he then turned to force the red eyed one back into a fight. She did as told by turning tail and running at fast as her short leg could carry her._**

 ** _Skidding to a stop she stood still at the huge being in front of her. Another titian. It's tall slender body with long thin arms and dark shades. She stared up at it face or what could have been it's face. She was amazed at it having never seen this titian before. Then she watched at it lifted its long thin arm, the very tip of it changing into something, and pointed it at her. Her attention on the tip, his attention on her._**

 ** _Suddenly, she watched at the titian took a hit making it stumbling back from her as another shot hit it again. Then felt herself being scooped up into something hard, but warm. "Optimus, I got her! Im heading away from the fight now."_**

 **" _Acknowledged Cliffjumper. Have Ratchet bridge you back to base." Came his reply._**

 **" _Don't worry there little sparklings, old Cliff's got ya." he said as he ran and looked down to the young human in his servo to see her looking up at him with wide eyes full of wonder. "Didn't want Soundy and Megsy making bad impressions on ya little sparkling, now did we? Hey Ratchet, need a ground bridge, got a bit of a surprise with me."_**

 **" _What kind of surprise?" he replied with gruff._**

 **" _Come on Doc, you'll love the little sparkling." Cliffjumper stated grinning down at the human just as the greens of the ground bridge came forth and lead Cliff and his small charge to the other side. "Thanks Doc."_**

 ** _Ratchet growled glaring at the horned mech. "That's Ratchet you fragger! And whats this about a sparkling?!"_**

 ** _Cliff held up his empty servo. "Whoa! Ratchet the language, little audios here. But if you want to see the little one, here." He turned his other servo and little to form a platform and showed the medic the tiny human sparkling. "Can I have her? She can be my Lil sis."_**

 **" _Wha-wh, phff, CLIFFJUMPER!" Ratchet shouted earning a scream from the human child and Cliff hiding her back into her chassis. "Lower the voice Ratchet, you're scaring her." Ratchet steamed at Cliffjumper who only gave a half grin. "You cant keep a human! Let alone a human sparkling!"_**

 **" _Ahhh…but I even had a name. She was going to be Sky."_**

Sky blinked feeling blankets and a pillow under her head as she lifted her head up to look around. She was in her room, how she got there she couldn't remember. Scuffling her legs over the side she bent over with both arms hold her weight on either side as she looked around. It had been two months since she was last in this room.

Pictures littered the walls of those she had met of the Autobots that had had stopped by before going on there ways. Some were from orders others to see who they could find out there. Most were made up Cliffjumper and her with the rest of the team speckling here and there. Pulling the cover off of her the clink sound drew her attention. Bending down to pick it up to study it, she then looked around to find a towel.

Once she found the hand towel she went in search for the wax that would make the horn shine once more. An hour had passed before she was pleased with the level of shine the horn held. With that done she went in search of Arcee and asked her to help her make a rock pile for Cliffjumper. "Thanks Arcee."

Both stood looking down at the small rock pile they had made. "Sorry big bro for yelling out all of those insults at you." Taking a step towards it Sky gently laid the horn down before stepping back next to Arcee. "It's not the best but it's what we could do."

"Yeah." the femme replied then glanced to Sky. "You know you still have us? We've all watched you grow up since you were just barely over being a sparkling. You're apart of our family."

"I know I can still go to any of you…it's just, Cliff was my brother. I feel so lost without him around. I don't even know what to do with myself now."

"You'll find something. Are you planning on sticking around?"

Sky stood there in silence as she thought. "No. I'm going to go explore this world. See the wonders like Cliff told me once before. Who knows…I might find myself again during that time. Big bro was always there by my side, I could always count on him to be there for me. Even taught me to fight if the need arose. Yeah, there were times I couldn't stand him when he went all serious and made me do all of my homework but I wouldn't have asked for anything different."

"When are you leaving?"

"Well, my bags are still pack from driving all the way here. I might just leave now, start on my journey." Sky replied feeling Arcee leave for the platform that lead below. Taking her eyes from the sinking sun, one that Cliff and her would always found time to watch. "You mess with the bull and…." with a sigh Sky turned to follow the femme to the base below with out looking back.

 _A lone figure stood proud with a smirk planted on his faceplates watching the nearly out of her youngling stage Sky and Arcee disappeared into the base. "You get the horns. And don't you forget it, Lil sis."_

* * *

 **Okay, first time doing a one shot, so it might not be that great. So what did you all think? Good? Bad?**

 **Songs that helped.**

 **Battle Cry by Imagine Dragons**

 **Apologize by One Republic**

 **Centuries by Fall Out Boys**

 **Hey Brother by Avicii**

 **When I'm Gone by 3 Doors Down**

 **If I lose myself (acoustic) One Republic**

 **7 Years by Lukas Graham**

 **Warriors by Imagine Dragons**

 **Dream by Imagine Dragons**

 **The Hanging Tree by James Newton Howard**

 **See You Again Wiz Khalifa**

 **Renegades by X Ambassadors**


End file.
